


Beyond Salvation

by Gas_Canister



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Canon Rewrite, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:06:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28041369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gas_Canister/pseuds/Gas_Canister
Summary: A strange transmission calls Fyria-9 to Europa where she discovers a lost friend, a know-it-all Exo, and unlikely allies.A rewrite of the story of Beyond Light.
Relationships: Eris Morn/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 4





	1. First Guardian to Europa

Officially, Fyria-9 was on a mission to Nessus. In reality, she'd finished her mission hours ago and was scanning the Sol System for any trace of Eris Morn. When the Darkness had come over the system and the planets had disappeared, Fyria had already lost a friend. Rasputin. She was on Mars, with Ana when he'd been hurt. She thinks back to that day and the panic they'd both felt. The mad rush to save any and all trace of him. Fyria reached over to her Valkyrian Bond, a gift from the Warmind. Now he was just a few dozen hard-drives in Ana's workshop.  


"Fyria? You OK?" Jarus, her ghost, snapped her back into the present.  


She took a deep breath. Rasputin was already as safe as he was going to be. It was up to Ana, Camrin, and their capable hands. Still the self-declared Seventh Seraph couldn't help but feel like she should've done more to protect Rasputin, even if she knew that there was nothing she could've done. "I'm fine," she lied as she fiddled with her radio. "We just need to find Eris."  


The ghost nodded, lingering for a moment at Fyria's shoulder before going back to her ship's scanning equipment.  


No one knew where Eris was. Ikora didn't know and Fyria had only gotten a vague, "I'm safe," from Eris before the Darkness hit. If she was safe, why hadn't she been back to the Tower or the Moon? The last place she'd been seen was Io but she would've had the sense to leave before the Darkness came right? She had to be out here somewhere and Fyria was determined to find her.  


Her hope had been slowly diminishing as she'd swept sectors for the past few hours. Her search pattern had gotten more and more frantic and made less and less sense, but she didn't care. She had to find Eris. She had to be in trouble. She wouldn't just leave without telling Fyria anything. Right? She shook her head before making a note on the star-map where she was now to distract herself from that possibility. She was near Jupiter. She looked out her view-port to see what was left. Most of Jupiter was covered in Darkness, with only half of the gas giant visible. A couple moons had escaped the Darkness, but Io was nowhere to be seen. Fyria stared at the Darkness. She didn't know how to face this threat. If Rasputin's attempt had proved anything it was that conventional weaponry was no help, and now her friend and mentor might be trapped within it.  


"Fyria," Jarus said softly. "Remus is calling."  


Fyria grimaced as she pushed a button, bringing up a holographic display of a human, with their helmet removed. They were old, with experience etched into every line, wrinkle, and crack on their face. Remus had been around since before the Tower was built and even though Guardians didn't age, the years were visible in their face. "Any luck Fyria?"  


"I think we're onto something here. We've been picking up more activity in this sector." She didn't know if that was true or not.  


Remus was silent for a moment. "Jarus, what do your scans show?"  


Fyria avoided looking directly at the screen as he ghost floated over. Jarus looked at Fyria for a moment before facing Remus. "We've seen increased Fallen activity around this particular edge of the Darkness but other than that..."  


Remus frowned. "Fyria, if you haven't found her by now," they took a deep breath, "I think it's time to come back."  


"I... I can't do that." Fyria's grip tightened on her pilot chair. "I have to keep searching."  


Remus sighed. They were silent for a moment as they composed their next sentence carefully. "Fyria, I understand your concern for your friend. I know what it's like to just hear nothing. To have no catharsis, no answers but that's just how it is with some Guardians.” They take a deep breath. “Sometimes you never know how they-"  


"Don't." She cut them off. Her whole body stiffened for a moment. She wanted to be angry, to yell at them. But this wasn't their fault. "Don't..." she said weakly, slouching in her chair as she brought a hand up to her helmet.  


Remus said nothing as Fyria took steady and even breaths, trying to get herself back under control. After a minute they spoke again, "It's been hours Fyria. Come back to the Tower and rest. You must be exhausted."  


She waved her hand dismissively. "I've just been flying around all day, I'm not tired."  


"That's not what I mean and you know it."  


She looked back out towards Jupiter. "Yeah, I know."  


"Maybe she just went somewhere and didn't tell you? It is Eris Morn, she's never been particularly forthcoming."  


Fyria knew that was true but she was different right? Together they'd conquered Eris's phantoms, they'd translated the messages from the Dark, they'd spent hours talking about philosophy and what the Darkness could be and what it meant. They'd stayed up nights and gazed at the stars together, swapping stories and pointing out shapes. She'd been told stories and thoughts that no other person had ever heard from Eris. Hadn't she? Weren't they friends? Or even something more? She shook her head, putting that last thought out of mind. It wasn't the time or place.  


"I know, Remus. I just hoped that..." Fyria's head cocked as she heard something. Something faint and quiet. She looked at her dashboard and fiddled with the radio frantically, trying to boost the volume. "Jarus, figure out what that is," she said as a rush of annoyance, excitement, and hope rushed through her.  


"What's wrong Fyria?" Remus asked, as Jarus interfaced with the ship.  


Fyria shook her head, as she tried to listen. "I'm getting a weird transmission." Maybe it was Eris. Please, let it be Eris.  


Jarus spun her shell as she turned up the volume. It cracked and squealed before becoming clear. It wasn't Eris. This voice was strange and certainly not one that Fyria had ever heard before. "-in great danger. Earth, the Great Machine, Eliksni and Human. Darkness walks among us. We are all in great danger. My kind must survive. Please... send help... There is not much time." There's some light scuffling and then the transmission cuts out, before repeating itself.  


"It's coming from Europa. It's one of the moons of Jupiter that hasn't been swallowed by the Darkness" Jarus reports.  


Fyria and Remus both look at each other. They speak first, "No."  


"I didn't even say anything!"  


"I know what you're thinking. You're not going after it. You don't even know who that is."  


"So, tell me what I need to know and I can go!"  


Remus shook their head. "No."  


"Remus, come on! I'm the only one out this far! You can take the transmission recording to the Vanguard and I can start tracking down whoever the hell this is!" Remus raised a hand to their chin to think. Fyria pressed her advantage. “We can't just ignore this! According to this guy, we're all in danger!" Fyria silenced herself as Remus held up a hand. They were silent for a while before sighing.  


"...Variks. That's the name of the person who sent that message. He's a Fallen. He was the Warden of the Prison of Elders. He ran off with some of the Fallen from there and left it abandoned, which led to Cayde and I checking in on it and..." they trailed off. Fyria knew that story well. Remus had been the Guardian to go with Cayde and the one to avenge his death. She became a Guardian shortly before his death and had never met him, but she knew who Cayde-6 was. Everyone did. "I want check-ins every thirty minutes, with a full report every two hours."  


Fyria nodded, all business now. "You got it."  


Remus stared at the screen, thinking for a moment. "Fyria, I know why you’re doing this, but don't get your hopes up, OK? This probably doesn't have anything to do with Eris and you'll need your wits about you for this mission. Don't get distracted."  


Fyria fought to keep looking at the screen. "Right," she said finally, quiet for a moment too long.  


"Jarus." The ghost floated over to the screen. "Keep an eye on her. Both of you need to be careful."  


The ghost nodded. "Got it. We'll be alright Remus. We won't let you down."  


They smiled at Jarus. "I know you won't."  


The feed cut out and Fyria let out a sigh as she sat back in the chair, trying to quell the hope that was bubbling up within her. Remus was right, this might not have anything to do with Eris. But... Darkness walking among people? The fate of humanity at stake? This could be what she left for. It wasn't completely out of the question. "Let's go," she said as she turned towards the icy moon, flying down into the atmosphere.  


* * *

  


Fyria decided very quickly that she hated Europa. It was cold, with snow and ice everywhere. In desperation she'd taken a blanket from storage in her ship and cut a hole in it for a giant cloak that she draped over herself and cut to cover herself without dragging on the ground. Jarus thought the whole thing was hilarious and had earned a snowball to her face for her trouble.  


"There's nothing here but snow, ice, and more snow," Fyria complained as she sat on her sparrow, looking out over the horizon. "Are you sure a signal came from this place?"  


"100%" Jarus confirmed from inside Fyria's backpack. "It's just north here. That's where the signal originated."  


Fyria pulled her sniper rifle, Tranquility, out of her backpack and looked through the scope to try and spy anything. She couldn't make anything out and groaned as she put her rifle away.  


She drove north anyway, sacrificing speed for stealth. "Fuck," she muttered to herself as she kept her eyes peeled. This was being far less distracting than she'd hoped. She really hadn't been prepared for a place for covered in snow and ice, but that didn't matter. Eris could be here. She shook her head, trying to lose that train of thought. No, she was here on a mission for the Vanguard and Remus. That’s what this was about.  


Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something and stopped the sparrow. "Jarus, do you see that?" Next to an icy cliff was a small building connected to a wind turbine. "Could the transmission have come from there?"  


Jarus checked the coordinates. "No. It's still too far away." Fyria stared at the building for awhile. "It's about time for a report Fyria."  


"Yeah. Call Remus."  


Their voice crackled in her ear. "I'm already here, Fyria. What's new? More snow and ice?" They chuckled softly.  


Fyria groaned in annoyance. "Actually for once, no. There's a small building. It doesn't look like anything I've ever seen."  


"Europa was once populated in the Golden Age."  


Fyria looked closer, scoping in with her rifle. "There's no way its that old. It has a working wind turbine. Someone's maintaining it. Everything else out here is frozen over. Like I'm going to be soon." She shuddered in the cold. "I'm freezing," she hissed out.  


"Well if you die of hypothermia, I can just revive you." Jarus teased from within the safety of Fyria's backpack.  


"Cute. Remus, should I check out the structure or just head onto where the transmission came from?"  


"Wait. Fyria, Remus. The transmission just stopped."  


"What?"  


"It just stopped. Someone must have shut it off just now."  


Remus was all serious in an instant. "Fyria, head to the site. See if you can make out who shut it off."  


* * *

  


There were a lot of people to make out as Fyria laid down on the snowbank on top of the icy cliff. A small almost frozen structure on the ground was swarming with Fallen as Fyria looked down on them. The large satellite dish on the roof was smoking and large parts of it were broken. No doubt why the transmission shut off. Some larger Captains were standing on the ground near a door, weapons at the ready. With a nod, the Captains and some lackeys swarmed into the building. A large number of Vandals with wire rifles were crouched at the edges of the building, keeping an eye out for unwanted eyes like Fyria. Thankfully, they didn't seem to have seen her.  


"What's happening?" Remus asked.  


"A few Captains just rushed in. I guess someone's inside. Yeah, they're dragging someone out." Fyria watched as two captains carried a clearly resisting Fallen out of the building. He was shorter than the rest of them, with a chain-link section draped over his mouth. His two upper limbs were robotic and he was dressed in a green outfit. "I'm assuming that's Variks," she says as she zooms in on the scene. He's thrown onto the ground, surrounded by other Fallen holding weapons. He looks around at them, concerned about them. One of the captain's throws a staff at his feet, and he scrambles to pick it up. He starts to point and probably speak, but she can't make out what's being said. "He's arguing with them it seems. He's very upset."  


A loud whine suddenly hit Fyria, getting steadily louder. She looked up to see a giant Fallen ketch in the sky coming in from the north. "Shit..." she muttered. She rolled over into the snow, trying to bury herself in it as the ship came to rest over the area. Fyria cleared off the snow off her gun, scrambling to establish a sight-line.  


Remus is still in her ear, "Are you OK?"  


"Yeah, huge Ketch just anchored overhead. Someone important is pissed off. Jarus, get a picture to Remus of it."  


The ghost comes out to look at the Ketch. Fyria looks back down at Variks to see a new Fallen. She's large and imposing, towering over Variks. She wears a heavy ornate cloak emblazoned with a symbol composed on many intersecting lines. Most of her face was covered, leaving only two sharp eyes peaking out to glare at Variks. "I think I found the boss." The ghost settled down next to Fyria's head, interfacing with her rifle to record what the scope was seeing.  


The giant Fallen reached out at him, and Fyria noticed small golden claw-like extensions from her upper left hand. She snatched away his staff, breaking it in her grasp. Variks shrinks away from her, backing up into the Fallen surrounding him. He's pushed forward, and she grabbed him. With ease, she lifted him off the ground with a single hand. Their faces are brought close as she no doubt threatens him before throwing him to the ground. She holds up her hand and Fyria watched as a power she'd never seen before swirled in the Fallen's grasp. A freezing blue emanated from her hand, twisting and warping into what looked like a snowstorm. Variks cowered at her feet, holding up his hands in fear.  


The Fallen raised her hand up, ready to strike down when she stopped suddenly. She turned behind her and Fyria noticed a new figure standing there. Humanoid, with a hooded cloak draped over her shoulder. Her features could just be made out from the distance, an Exo. The Exo spoke calmly, staring back at the larger Fallen in front of her. The energy faded from her hand as they talked. Variks, behind them got up and tried to run off, only to be stopped by a large Captain who grabbed him by his neck, holding him in place.  


The Fallen and the Exo talked for a time, before the large Fallen turned back to Variks and barked an order. The Captain nodded, transmatting away with Variks in tow. The large Fallen followed shortly after. The assembled Fallen began to disperse, some transmatting away while others began to search the area. Fyria looked back to the Exo, who watched the assembled Fallen for a moment. Then she turned her head and looked up at the icy cliff that Fyria was on. Fyria froze herself, but the Exo looked right at her through her scope. If the Exo saw her, she didn't react, but she stared at the cliff for too long to be a coincidence. Suddenly, she looked away as she talked to a Vandal who approached her. After a short conversation she excused herself, summoning a sparrow and leaving. Fyria watched in silence for awhile before the rest of the Fallen left, leaving only a few stragglers behind.  


She finally felt safe speaking. "Remus, you still there? Did you get all that?"  


There was silence on the line for awhile. "...I did."  


"What the fuck was all that?"


	2. A New Threat

Commander Zavala was lost in thought as he stared at a still from the video Fyria had sent. He stared at the image, glaring at the Fallen Kell. More specifically he glared at the swirl of Darkness that was emitting from her hand, frozen in time. He grimly noted once more the specks of Darkness within the cold storm. He turned his head slightly to look at the Exo Stranger who stood behind the Fallen. In the past, she'd always shown up to help the Guardians so what was she doing with a Fallen Kell? Was she an agent of Darkness too? He had many questions, but he needed more information before he could make a move.

Whisper-8, champion of the Red War, sat at the table next to him. She was scrolling through a catalog of Fallen House emblems and leaders, trying to match the symbol or the Fallen to them. She hesitated on one, looking closer at a Fallen and closely comparing it to her own copy of the video before sighing and scrolling to the next.

Ikora was reading through reports from her Hidden. More reports of locations, sectors, and areas lost to the Darkness or that had been lost when Zavala pulled every last Guardian who would listen back to the city. Positions they'd held for decades now infested with enemies of the Light. The two Vanguards hadn't been on the best terms lately since Zavala had decided to pull rank and give that order. Ikora was already setting her own plans in motion to regain at least part of what they had lost. She wasn't one to sit around in the Tower all day while their enemies moved towards them.

Remus entered the war room, drawing Zavala's attention. "Commander," they said sending Lenn forward to the empty screen at the center of the table. After a quick interface, the screen lit up with a map of the surface of Europa. "We were able to get scans of the surface of Europa." With a few taps on the display at their edge of the table, the map changed and moved to show a giant complex on the map.

"What is that?" Zavala asked as he studied it.

Ikora glanced up from her reports for a moment. "Looks like a Fallen settlement. A large one at that. They seem to have set up right under our noses."

Whisper spoke up. "And I've finally found a match." She flipped her tablet around to the rest of the room. "Eramis, the Shipstealer." Lenn zoomed over copying the data from her tablet and putting it up next to the display of the Fallen Colony. "She was a baroness of the House of Devils, most notably stealing ships for them until she was captured at Twilight Gap and imprisoned in the Prison of Elders. She was noted as one of the many missing prisoners but was never found," Whisper read off the tablet. 

Zavala nodded as he stared at the mugshot for Eramis. "So now we have a name, face, and location." He took a deep breath. "We're no longer in the dark." He smirked to himself as Whisper groaned aloud.

* * *

Fyria was freezing her ass off. Her last order had been "stay put and stay hidden" which she was doing better on the latter than the former. Fallen were crawling over the place and she couldn’t find a good hiding spot to stay in. Every time she thought she found a good cave or canyon to hide in, a patrol would swing by and she’d have to hide or run. She’d spent an agonizing thirty minutes sitting silently in a snowbank as a Captain had gotten nerve-wrackingly close to her. Nevertheless, she thought she wasn't doing a half-bad job. At least running for her life kept her mind from wandering. She crouched by a pillar of ice, watching a Fallen patrol walk past. As far as Fyria knew, they had no idea she was there. She froze suddenly, her hand stopping on her Seventh Seraph sidearm. "What's wrong?" Jarus whispered in her ear.

Fyria pulled out her pistol, turning on a dime to aim behind her. No one was there. "If you suspect someone is behind you," a new voice said, accompanied by the pressure of a gun barrel against the back of her head, "don't freeze before you make your move."

Fyria heard the clicking chatter of Fallen language as the patrol must’ve noticed whoever was holding a gun to the back of Fyria’s head. Fyria tried to turn her head, only to feel the gun barrel pressed further into her head. The new voice spoke the Fallen language back at them. Fyria head the Fallen snarl something back before their footsteps marched off. She waited until they were gone before ducking under the barrel of the gun pressed against her head and rolling back to the side, quickly swinging her gun around to aim. Her captor countered her perfectly, kneeing Fyria in the head before placing a quick burst of bullets into her side. The pain made Fyria flinch and her pistol ripped out of her hand at the same moment. She looked up at the Exo Stranger, still holding a pulse rifle trained on her. “That could’ve been your head,” the Stranger said annoyed. “I’m not your enemy.”

“Says the bitch that just shot me,” Fyria held her side and took a deep breath. “Get it over with.”

The Exo Stranger sighed. "I’m not going to kill you. I just can’t have you starting a firefight.”

Fyria studied the Stranger. She was wearing a tight bodysuit, with a small hood and cloak over the left side of her body. In freezing temperatures. Fyria glanced at her right arm, with some kind of gauntlet with a spike going out from the elbow. Her eyes were cold and watched her with boredom, like she already knew what Fyria was going to do. She didn’t look like any Exo Fyria had ever seen or Fyria for that matter. She was taller with more curves. That was strange, and if she hadn’t just been shot by her, Fyria was sure she would’ve been more interested in that. “You spoke with the Kell,” she said after staring at the Stranger for awhile.

"Eramis,” she corrected, “and I did that to keep her from killing Variks." Fyria was about to ask another question when the Exo Stranger cut her off. “Get Jarus to heal you and then we can go back to my camp and talk. It’s warmer there.”

Fyria blinked. “How do you know the name of my ghost?”

“I know a lot about you Fyria-9 and I need your help to save humanity.” The Stranger put her rifle on her back and held out a hand towards Fyria.

Fyria stared at the hand, trying to figure out if she could make a move. The Stranger was apparently an expert in combat, there was no way that Fyria would be able to beat her one-on-one. She slowly took the hand, pulled to her feet as Jarus slowly emerged and healed her side.

“Good,” the Stranger said. “My camp isn’t too far from here. I can make us some tea.”

* * *

The Exo Stranger’s camp was the small building that Fyria had noticed earlier. The little building was warmed up, thanks to the large central heater in the center of the room. The Exo Stranger watched amused as Fyria downed the hot tea she’d been served, despite the warnings of her ghost.

“You’ll burn your throat!” Jarus cried out as Fyria drank deeply from the hot thermos. 

Fyria let out a loud sigh of relief as the hot tea warmed her insides up. She pulled the blanket that the Exo Stranger had given her closer to her body as she warmed up. She cautiously looked at the Exo Stranger, still unsure how to feel about her. "So, what can I do for you?" Fyria asked, putting the empty thermos down. "Why go to the trouble of keeping me alive? You could’ve just handed my over to your Fallen buddies."

"If captured by the Eliksni, you most likely would’ve tried, and failed, to escape but in your escape attempt would’ve killed a few of them leading to your execution by Eramis. She’s a ‘blood for blood’ kind of leader. Same reason why I couldn’t let you start a firefight. If you kill, or even wound, an Eliksni my job gets that much harder.”

Fyria nodded along, unconvinced. “And your job is?”

“Saving humanity.”

“You said that before, and that you needed my help with that. Why are you working with the Fallen if you’re trying to save humanity?”

“You’re familiar with Darkness, correct? I would hope so, after spending the past half year with Eris Morn translating its messages.” Fyria’s grip on her thermos tightened. If the Stranger noticed, she didn’t let on. “I’ve been Europa for months now building a good relation with Eramis and the House of Salvation. Together, we’ve been learning how to use the Darkness. With their help, our research and understanding has increased significantly. However, Variks in turn moved up his plan to try and get Vanguard involvement, leading to his transmission, which leads to you being here and the Vanguard back home doing research. They should be about done figuring out who Eramis is by now and starting to try and make a plan.”

“And you’re just telling me that you’re a user of Darkness and trusting that I’m OK with that?”

The Exo Stranger shrugged. “I don’t care if you’re OK with that. Right now, you are the link between the Guardians and Europa. Commander Zavala is scared of the Darkness and Eramis isn't. If they go to war, we'll all lose no matter who comes out on top. I need you to help call off the Vanguard.”

“That’s why you stopped Eramis from executing Variks. It would’ve looked bad.” Fyria shook her head, as she slowly spoke. "Why would I want to help a Fallen House learn how to use the Darkness?”

"The Darkness is a tool, just like the Light. The Light and the Dark are not inherently good or evil, they're forces in the world to be harnessed." The Stranger spoke with the tired practice of having said these words a thousand times before. "The Traveler has allowed Guardians to harness the Light and now the House of Salvation are using Pyramids on Europa to harness the Dark. What matters is how these powers are used, and the House of Salvation do not wish to war with us."

Jarus waited for Fyria to rebuke the Stranger. When she didn't and the Guardian just stared down into her thermos, the Ghost spoke up. "I don't trust the Dark."

The Stranger smirks at Jarus. "Of course you don't Little Light. You were created by the Traveler, a small speck of Light accompanying your Guardian. It's natural you wouldn't trust the Dark. And you probably don't trust me." The Stranger leaned back in her chair. "But I know someone you do trust. She'll be here shortly, until then would you like more tea?"

Jarus and Fyria looked at each other. "And if I want to leave?"

The Stranger casually adjusted her cloak, revealing a nasty looking hand cannon. "I think it would be better for both of us if you waited patiently."

"Well don't threaten her, makes ya look bad." Fyria looked over as a new person entered the hut. He leaned against the wall, removing his breather and pulling his hood down. He had the look of trouble, smirking at Fyria as he introduced himself. "I don't think I've had the pleasure, name's Drifter."

"Fyria-9," she said, still taking him in. Jarus disappeared into Fyria's bag trying to form a plan of escape.

"Exo huh? Oh you'll like Europa then." He chuckled as the Stranger rolled her eyes. "Now do I call you Fyria-9? Or can I drop the number?"

"Fyria is fine. I feel like I've heard of you before," Fyria stared at the Drifter, trying to place him.

He smirked, fishing into his robes. Fyria tensed for a moment before he pulled out a small green coin. He flipped it over at her, the coin making a distinct ding sound when he hit it. Fyria caught it mid-air, looking at it. "You ever heard of Gambit?"

Fyria thought back to strange posters she'd seen around the Tower and the hushed conversations Guardians would have. "I have." She threw the coin back. "I'm not too interested in it." 

Drifter shrugged as he caught it, flipping it between his fingers. The coin disappeared between his hands as he held his palms up, as if he was performing. Fyria supposed he was. "More of a Crucible gal?" He was still smiling but it was obviously fake.

"More of a 'I don't like killing fellow Guardians' gal."

The Drifter nodded, his passive aggressiveness gone. "I can respect that. Still, I always have-"

"Drifter." The Stranger didn't look away from Fyria as she interrupted him. "Where are the others?"

"Moondust and Lucky are on their way. I told them it was urgent."

The Stranger frowned. "Both of them?"

"Buddy system, or something like that. Don't wanna be alone, I suppose."

The Stranger stood, finally looking away from Fyria. "Keep an eye on her." She walked out, the door hissing shut behind her.

"I suppose she didn't tell you much? Or did she tell you just a little too much?" He smirked again, which seemed to be his resting face. Fyria nodded. "It's a lot right? Unnerving and downright creepy. She just knows your histories and you’re stuck racking your brain whether or not you’ve even crossed paths. Gal does her homework. I can respect that. She means well, just not great with introductions, a bit too much shock and awe if you ask me."

"So, what are you here for? Saving the world too?"

"Eh, I'm not a selfless man. Gotta be something in it for me, you see? And considering I live in the world, I'd say there's plenty in it for me. What are you here for?"

Fyria looked at the door. "I was doing a recon mission for the Vanguard. She outmaneuvered me, made it clear she could kill me if she wanted, and invited me back here."

The Drifter laughed. "Sounds like her alright! Don't you worry, it'll make sense soon. Not to take a page out of her book, but if she went to the trouble of collecting you and telling you all that, I'd wager you'll be joining our little crew. Whether you know it or not yet. She doesn't believe in risks, but if I knew everything she did? I wouldn't either."

Fyria felt unnerved by his words, but her attention was drawn to movement through the door. She could make out figures talking and the faint sound of conversation. The Drifter looked as well, pulling his hood back up.

Fyria gasped as a familiar figure walked through the door. Eris Morn stood before her, her three eyes fixing immediately on Fyria. In her hand she still held the Hive talisman that kept her alive, and with the other she slowly reached up to pull her scarf down. "Fyria," she said softly, "I didn't expect to meet you here."


	3. Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

A wide range of emotions bloomed within Fyria at the sight of Eris Morn. Relief to know her friend wasn’t lost on Io. Confusion as to why she was here. Happiness to be with her again. But these emotions quickly soured. Relief became annoyance, confusion became frustration, and happiness became anger.

"So this is where you've been." Fyria tried to keep her voice level. She failed.

The Drifter blinked at the sudden tonal shift from Fyria and walked towards the door, giving Eris a pat on the shoulder before leaving the room. Eris watched the Drifter leave, eager to look at someone other than Fyria for a few seconds. Eris looked back at her friend studying her like she often did. This was one of the reasons that Fyria enjoyed wearing her helmet. Eris could only guess at how angry her face was, she couldn’t see it. Eris sat down in the chair across from Fyria, her Hive talisman slowly turning in her hand as she considered what to say. She decided not to address the anger within Fyria at the moment. She knew how easily emotions could turn and twist into each other, often ending in regret.

"I sent you a message," Eris said.

"You sent a two-word message that told me nothing," Fyria didn't mean to sound so bitter, but it came out that way. “I’ve been scouring the system for any trace of you.”

Eris frowned. She opened her mouth to ask something but hesitated. She decided on another question. "How did you track me down?"

"I didn’t. You just happened to walk through that door."

Eris nodded slowly. "And why are you here?"

"I picked up a transmission from this moon while I was searching the Sol System. For you." She blinked at the venom in her voice. She didn't mean to sound pissed, but the bitterness kept creeping up on her. “I’m here to investigate the distress signal Variks sent out.”

Eris narrowed her eyes at Fyria. "Do not keep throwing your search in my face. I did not ask you to look for me. Had I wanted you to know where I was, you would have known. I sent you a message to ease your mind and I thought that would be enough to sate you until I returned. I had hoped you had enough trust in me to not overact.”

Fyria felt her breathing quicken. "Trust? Didn't you trust me enough to tell me where you were going? After all we've been through?” Fyria thought back to the Moon, to Eris’s phantoms, to the Silver Tree in the Cradle. Her fists clenched. “I’d thought after the past few months you’d take me with you for… whatever the fuck you’re doing here! I’d thought I’d earned at least that much. But instead I find your campsite abandoned with a note to me and no one knows where you are!” Fyria noticed that at some point she’d stood up to tower over Eris. She took a deep breath and sat back down, raising a hand up to her helmet. “Sorry,” she muttered into her hand. “I was so afraid that I’d lost you. And I wouldn’t even have been able to tell you-” Fyria cuts herself off as she realizing what she’s about to say. “Goodbye,” she tacks onto the end awkwardly. One thing at a time, she told herself.

Eris's face was unreadable as she stared at the Warlock. "Fyria," the former Hunter said slowly and carefully, trying to defuse the situation. "I am sorry for leaving without telling you. I was worried that you wouldn't understand what I'm doing, or you would beg to come with me and I would be too weak to say no. I do value you, as an ally and as a friend.” Fyria notices a certain hesitation at the word ‘friend’ but then Eris continues and its gone. “But I felt that these dark waters were best explored without you, so that if I sank I didn't drown you as well. The circumstances of my leaving were for your protection, but I am sorry if it did not appear that way.”

"What are you doing here that’s so dangerous?" Fyria thought back to the Stranger. She was a user of Darkness. Surely Eris wasn’t that much of a fool. They’d discussed the Darkness at length, but that was all theory. Right? "What waters are you treading?"

Eris was silent for a time. She stared down at her Hive talisman, bringing her other hand up to gently caress the side of it. "What have you seen on Europa? What have you reported back to the Vanguard?"

"I saw Variks dragged out of a ruins and what I’m guessing was a Kell use some kind of power. It reminded me of the Pyramid in the Moon.” Fyria trails off, remembering her journey inside. She shakes her head. “I saw the Exo Stranger stop the Kell from killing Variks. She claimed she knew I was watching and didn’t want me to report his death back to the Vanguard.” A connection clicked in Fyria’s head and she looked at Eris suddenly. “Eris,” she started, “are you friends with the Fallen as well?”

"The Kell’s name is Eramis. And I would not openly refer to them by that name around them. They don’t take too kindly to it.” She looked back up from her talisman. “We are not friends with them, only allies. It is important to our work.”

Fyria narrowed her eyes. "What is your work that it requires allying yourself with our enemies?” She hoped she didn’t already know the answer.

Eris hesitated before sighing. "The truth of what we're doing here is easier shown than spoken of." She held her talisman out in front of her. Fyria watched as her suspicions were confirmed when ice began to appear at the base of it, slowly spreading up sphere. Fyria recognized the darkened tint of the ice. It was the same as the swirl that had appeared in Eramis's hand. Eris withdrew her hand, the ice retreating back into her palm. She said nothing, waiting for Fyria's response.

Fyria said nothing, a thousand thoughts running through her mind. Anger blossomed inside her again at being left behind. After all their talks about the Darkness and its nature, Eris had decided to abandon her and learn it without her? The rational side of her argued back that Eris had already explained she did that for Fyria’s protection. What else was more dangerous than the Darkness? Eris was in league with the Stranger and the Fallen House. Did that mean she could trust them? Eris was cautious and wouldn’t have allied with them if it wasn’t important. She clenched her teeth at the thought of the Stranger. She knew. She knew that she trusted Eris and probably more. Her thoughts jumbled together as she stared at ground, unsure what to do or say.

Jarus had no such qualms. "You're fooling around with the Darkness?" she blurted out, phasing out of Fyria's backpack. “I can understand the Stranger being a fool, but I would’ve thought Eris Morn would be smarter than to become a pawn of the Darkness.”

"It is a tool," Eris insisted, chastising the Ghost. "Darkness can be used for good, that much I know." She turned to Fyria, speaking softer. "From all of our translations, the Dark is not evil nor is it good. It can only corrupt in the way that power corrupts. Light has done the same already, with the Warlords of the Dark Age. We are not desperate fools clutching at strength we do not understand, we are scholars studying the Dark to learn how to harness its energies. It is a weapon to be wielded against our enemies who would seek to destroy us. The Dark does not seek our end, simply that we use it.”

The Ghost scoffed. "All who play with fire rationalize their actions."

"And without them we would be stuck in caves, reliant on the Sun for our light," Eris spoke back at the Ghost. "We are doing important, if dangerous, work and our ally in the House of Salvation is a partnership born of these desperate times. They will be snuffed out just as much as us if we fail." Fyria stared at the floor still. She heard Eris, she understood what she was saying. But all she could think of was the Stranger’s smug expression. "Fyria, do not unjustly think that I am not scared as we learn from the Dark." Fyria finally looked up, drawn by Eris's pleading. "Do not think I do not know what a dangerous path that this is. It's why I do not walk it alone. The Drifter is grating company but my frustration at his lack of intelligence and caution sharpens my focus. The Stranger is an unknown, a mystery to puzzle over when I would sink ever deeper into the Dark. Fortuna is a distracting voice in the night, always eager for a game or to show you a trick. It is easy to get lost within the Dark if it is only your voice and the whispers of the Dark."

Jarus looked expectantly at Fyria as she spoke. When she did not refute the Darkness, Jarus started to grow concerned. "And what of your Fallen house? Surely there are better research partners than them?"

Eris hesitates for a moment. "They are numbers against a common foe. Eramis is a competent leader and seeks the Darkness for her people, so that they may survive. She seeks to build a new beginning her for her kind. Her settlement is named Riis-Reborn, after her home-world. I believe her resolve to be genuine, even if it can be clouded by anger." Eris thinks and then continues. "The Stranger says that Eramis does not have to be an enemy, and yet she is cautious around the Kell. And the Kell is cautious back. We're dancing around each other on eggshells, trying to see if humanity and Eliksni can work together. Or if we're only fated to kill each other."

Fyria nodded along, her mind full of questions. She finally decided on one. "The Stranger, she said that if Eramis and the Guardians fight we all lose. She said that my job, my purpose is to be a link between the Vanguard and Eramis, to bring peace. Can we trust her?"

Eris looks behind her through the frosted glass of the door towards where a figure stands alone. "I do not know how much choice we have in that matter. She has decided to involve herself in these matters, for better or for worse. I do not think she is malicious even if she is short-tempered. That plan is not a poor one. Allies are sorely needed these days against the coming threat."

Fyria knew what threat she meant. She'd spent enough time with Eramis to know that the Witch-Queen was never far from Eris's thoughts. She grimaced as she sat back against the wall of the hut. "Fine..." she muttered. "It makes sense, and I know you wouldn't be here if you didn't believe in this. I just have to trust you in this." The part that stung the most was knowing that she was playing into the Stranger's hands. She trusted this Eramis more than the Stranger at the moment.

Eris gave a rare smile. "Thank you Fyria. Your company is appreciated in this journey." Jarus said nothing, only fading back into Fyria's pack. Fyria could feel the anger radiating off the Ghost. They would be talking later, she only guessed. Eris looked down for a moment, gently cradling her Talisman. She spoke gently. "I did wish to tell you. A friendship like yours is a welcome one in these times but, I was afraid that you might turn me into Remus or Zavala, and I would be put under watch."

Fyria's anger was gone, or at least placated at the moment. She waved her hand dismissively. "I understand Eris, it just still," she struggles to find the word, "hurts. I know there are greater stakes than my feelings. But still..." the relief starts to wash over Fyria as her exhaustion catches up with her. She suddenly leans heavily to her right, supporting herself in time to stop her from falling over.

"Fyria?" Eris moved forward, putting a hand on Fyria's shoulder and examining her.

Fyria raises her head and rights herself. "I'm just exhausted. I spent the whole day searching for you, and the past night hiding from the Fallen. I'll be fine."

The door hisses open as the Exo Stranger walks in. Eris took a step back from Fyria, still standing by her side.

The Stranger looked at Eris and then to Fyria. "I assume you're with us."

Fyria clenched her jaw as she looked up at the Stranger. "I'm with my friend." She nodded towards Eris. "I'll play your game for now, because she thinks it's a good idea. But I don't trust you, and I don't like you."

The Stranger nodded. "That's a long and complicated way of saying yes, but good. We'll need you to call of the Vanguard before they attack the House of Salvation and start a war. So, convince Remus to hold back Zavala for now. Use whatever excuses you can think of, if even a single Eliksni is killed the goal of peace will be out of reach."

Fyria looked to Eris, who gave a slight nod. "Fine," she spat out.

The Stranger looked at Fyria bored. "Try to think for yourself. You won't get far by following in the footsteps of someone else." The Stranger's words dripped with enough venom that Fyria's latent anger was lit aflame. As the Stranger turned to walk out, Fyria almost launched herself after her, only to find a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at Eris, before reaching up and taking her hand. A friend by her side and Ghost fuming in her backpack. Today just kept getting better and better.


End file.
